Cotton packer



' Oct. 28, 1924. 1,513,458

E. A. H. JACOB COTTON PACKER Filed March 25, 1922 :s Sheets-Sheet Fla 1 INVENTOR f.A.H. JACOB WWW.

ATTORNEY.

E. A. H. JACOB COTTON PACKER Filed March 25, 1922 SShats-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. EA/i JACOB MWW q ATTORNEY.

Oct. 28 1924.

' E. A. H. JACOB Y COTTON- PACKER Filed March 25, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG 5 INVEN TOR.

' EAH. JACOB ATTORNEY.

Patented 0st. 28;, 19241.,

Eli-t3 COTTON PAGKER.

Application filed. March 25, 1922. Serial No. 546,836.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST A. H. JACOB, a citizen of the Republic of Germany, residing at San Antonio, in the. count y of Bexar and State of Texas, United States of America, have invented a new and useful Cotton Packer, of which the following is a specification.

My invent-ion relates to improvements in cotton packers of that general type in which a vertically reciprocating plunger operates in a press-box, means being provided for feeding the cotton into the press-box below the plunger.

The objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a cotton packer of the general type used in cotton gins, and of such a structure that any individual machine can be easily and quickly adapted to location in a cotton gin as either a right-hand or a lefthand machine;

Second, to provide such a unity of structure in the packer that the single element of motive power that drives the reciprocating plunger in the press-box shall drive also the feeder;

Third, to provide new and improved driving means for the plunger;

Fourth, to provide driving means for the plunger which, when the motive power is disconnected, will itself positively hold the plunger stationary in. any position desired, and thus eliminate the need for a special brake or holding device;

Fifth, to provide such unitary means to render the operating means inoperative, as will, subject to the will of the operator, cause the plunger, either (1) to remain stationary at any desired position in relation to the press-box, or (2) to stop automati cally at the topmost point of its upstroke irrespective of the time of actuation of said means;

Sixth, to provide novel mechanism for the automatic intermittent operation of the feeder;

Seventl, to provide a. feeder of extremely sim 31c and eflicient design;

Piighth to "provide a cotton packer simple, firm, and compact in structure, lasting in quality, and easily and economically liuilt.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the coni plete machine; Figure 2 is a sectional view of the worm, the worm gear, and the radius arm; Figure 3 is a plan view of the cotton packer; Figure 4 is a plan view of the shaft carrying the belt-shifter arms together with the parts directly coacting therewith when these members stand in normal relationship; Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure l looking toward the rear; Figure 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 3 looking toward the rear; Figure 7 is a front elevation of worm and worm gear partly in section taken on line 7-7 of Figure 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views. The frame 1 is rigidly fastened on sills 2. Frame'l is supplied with guides 3 on which the plunger 4 is mounted for vertical reciprocation. The plunger 1- including the platen 5 carries a gate 6 coacting with hopper L8 and operating within the press-box 2 The plunger 1 includes a double-sided free-ended rack 7, including a bar 8 and a bar 8 Bar 8 is fastened at its upper extremity to the cross-plate 10 which with cross-plate 10 rigidly holds in relative ver tical position the uprights 12 and 13. At its lower end bar 8 is rigidly secured to crossplate 14 similar to cross-plate 10, and, on its front side, to cross-plate 14 similar to 10 The uprights 12 and 13 are rigidly fastened in relative position at their lower ends on platen 5. Bar 8 is free-ended being supported in front of, and parallel with, the bar 8 by a plurality of pins 9 regularly spaced apart in vertical alignment. The rack 7 cooperating with pinion l5 carried'by shaft 16 journa-lled in the lower end of a radius arm 17 mounted to oscillate on a shaft 18 mounted. on the horizontal part 19 of frame 1. On that end of shaft 16 opposite to pinion 15, is fixed the worm gear 20 which meshes with worm 21 fixed on driving shaft 22 which is journalled in extensions 28 of frame; 1. Guard 2a covers worm 21 and associated elements:

The extensions 23 are each in two parts; the lower part of each extension is integral with frame .1 the upper part of each extension. is a separate plate. Both extremities of the drive shaft 22 extend well beyond the extensions of frame 1, and are each adapted to receive a fixed pulley and a. loose pulley 26 with which is adapted to coact driving belt 27 leading from a suitable source of power. The location of the source of power determines the location of pulleys 26 and 27. whether on the right hand or left hand extremity of shaft 22.

lVhcn the source of power is operatively connected by means of belt 27 and lined pulli 85 with drive shaft 22, drive worm 21 rotates worm gear 20 and suaft Shaft rotates pinion 15 which coacts with rack i" causing the reciprocation of plunger Sis sh ft 16 begins rotation, radius arm 17 swings out on either side of the rack 7, this movement heing suliiciently to one side of the perpendicular to allow of the vertical movement of plunger 4iincluding; raclr '5. As the exertion of the power continues, pinion 15 forces plunger lupward and downvard in regular practical reciprocation. As the radius arm 17 swings out on either side of the racl-z 7 to allow said rack passage room, said radius arm comes in contact with stop $17 which holds pinion in operative position witl. respect to rock 7 until the end of rack is reached when loose roller 15 comes in contact with the concave of plate 10 or of plate i land the radius arm 17 swin s iciently to allow pinion 15 to pass to the opposite side of rack T where its op erative influence continues. swinging of the radius arm 1? induced by the operative relation of the pinion 15 with the rack 7 and coi'itrolled hy the st ps 17 and the curved c es of plat 1 .0 and 14: moves the :d']i'l gear 520 'lroiu side to side in a r lial IQHItlOHE-illl?) to the dive worn'i 2i i ,Jiuition the ...iving connecalu'ays posi; 'lhe swinpg n has the advantage of V 3 drive and pcrinitting i tical reciprocation of The operation of the driving particularly the operation ii and of the plunger. is

i. shifting the 'bolt 27 relative to the I .o and 26 as herein embodied conuu'ise, the .ollowiny; described combinat' n of ients. Shaft 28 carrying cono belt-shifting arms 29 slides in bearing 30 and in hollow shaft 31. Arms 1 "c pivotally 'lamped to shaft 28 and to arm. iIii-ms 342 are pivotally fastened to the outer extremity of hollow shaft 31 and to arm Arm is joined universally at its outer end to lever which is fulcrurned in a universal joint on support 36 mounted liar 4:0 slides in hearing: provided in frame 1. Shifter bar 40 is reversible in position relative to frame 1; and plate 4-1 has a hevel edge extending on each c1 to he adaptable to coact 1 5) in either of its alterna re positions. we

entire shifting mechanism reversible in e .o either right left hand di'ii I 30 is positioned frame 1 and is I "l for location on either side of said A boss furnishing means to i r 38 which provides the fulcrum point for the lever arm is provided on either side of frame 1. The shaft 28 carryarms 29 can he simply reversed in its position across the top of the frame. us the entire shifting device is reversihle and adaptable to coactwith a drive belt running on pulleys mounted on either end of the drive shaft 22 mounted on frame 1. This characteristic of the packer is valuahle inasmuch as all machines embodying: my present invention are mate generally alike. and no provision in time or expense need he made by manufacturer or buyer for building. choosing or supplying machine built especially for right or left hand use.

The belt-shifting device described above is compound. in its automatic operation. A suilicient force exerted by the operator outwardly at the lower end of the lever bar when arm is practically in line with arms and when shifter arms 29 are in, position on that side of the frame next to arms umves the helt 97 from the fixed to the loose iulley. and the plunger stops immediately and remains motionless in the position where stopped.

Plaid force moves the are 5 32 and 3 1- in an angular position opposite their normal relative position, and the spring 34 holds them in such position insuring a positive retention of belt 27 on loose pulley 26. A stop-bolt 33 extending; through the spread arms on the end of arm prevents the sg irinp .4 from drawing the shaft hack into the hollow shaft 31. The result is a solid har effect holr ing the belt 2'? iirmlv on the loose pulley 26 until such time as the l force is exerted on the lower end of the lever in the opposite direction to its previous exertion that is toward the packer frame, in which case the arms 32 and 3% resume their normal. angular relative position and the shaft 28 is drawn into the hollow shaft 31 drawing with it the arms 29 which shift the belt from the loose pulley 26 to the fixed pulley 25, and the source of power being connected with the driving means,the plunger resumes its travel. One advantage of this mode of operation is that in case of fire in the press-box, the platen can be run down sharply against the cotton and stopped and held there. i

As an alternative, and more usual, manner of operating the belt-shifting device, the said force is exerted outwardly, by the op erator, at the lower end of lever bar 35 when arm is practically in linewith arms 34 and when siifter arms 29 are in position on that side of the frame next to arms 32. Said force thus exerted operates through. lever arm 37 to force shifter bar 40 across frame 1 in such -manner that the edge 42 coacts with the bevel edge of shifter plate 41 as the plunger 4 comes to its highest point of travel. The shifter bar 40 is then forced back across the frame 1 in an opposite direction from its first movement and operates lever arm 37 to move drive belt 27 from fixed pulley 25 to loose pulley 26, the arms 32 and 34 and the. spring- 34 coacting as in the alternative manner of operating the shifting device. One advantage of this mode of operation is that the person attending the packer may give the impetus for stopping the plunger at any time during the travel of said plunger, and the plunger will stop only when it reaches its highest point of travel. This characteristic of my invention is of great value for the reason that a great saving of time at critical moments is effected and also for the reason that a precise and positive stopping point for the plunger isassured without any cost in time and attention on the part ofv the attendant.

The manner of operation of the belt-shifting device is not affected by a reversal of position relative to the frame of the parts of the device to accommodate the machine for right or left hand drive. I have described a preferred form of this part of my invention;

other forms embodying the same principles may be employed in putting the invention into practice.

The cotton is intermittently fed from the,

hopper 43 by automatic means into the pressboX 2 A loose shaft 44 is positioned. lengthwise in the hopper 43. Fixed on the shaft 44 is a fan or feeder 44. made of two boards positioned in a plane on opposite sides of shaft 44 and having beveled edges in order that the feeder in operation may at each revolution the more smoothly disengage from the cotton. Shaft 44 extends some distance in both directions through the ends of hopper 43 and is supported at one end in suitable bearing by a hanger 45 mounted on the sill 2. The opposite end of shaft 44 has considerable play in an aperture through the other end of hopper 43, and has fixed upon. it a pulley 46 and lever 47 fulcrumed at one end on supporting member 48 and actuated, to function. by the rod 49; 1 During the upward movement of the plunger the cam member." 50 carried thereby coacts with the roun- 51, carried by the lever 52, the

ley 46 and of the fan 44 withdraws the pula ley 46 from contact with the friction pulley and brings said pulley 46 into contact with brake shoe56, which contactv instantly stops the rotation of feeder fan 44 It will be noted that the notation and the inaction of the feeder 44 are both positive, and that the feeder will discharge. cotton into the press-box only when the plunger and ac .companying gate are high enough in the course of their upward travel. to allow the cotton to pass freely into the press-box. The

gate 6 prevents loose cotton working into the press-box on top of the plunger duringthe inaction offeeder 44 Friction pulley 55 is in continuous operation when the source of power is'operatively connected with shaft 22, friction pulley 55 being fixed on shaft 57 which bears also fixed pulley 58 actuated by belt 59. Belt 59 runs upon loose pulleys 60 and 61 and is actuated by pulley 62- fix'ed upon shaft 22 on which drive worm; 21 is fixed. Thus the one shaft 22 receives power through belt 27 and fixed pulley 25 delivering the power to both the plunger and the feeder. The actuation and control of the one power shaft provides a simp1e,unified, and positive control of both plunger and feeder by the same impulse, which combination does away with considerable looseness in the operation: of the packer. It will be noted that, the shafts supporting the pulleys 55, 58, 60, 61 are mounted in a strong casting 48 fixed by bolts 63 on sill 2. The combination of elements comprising the feeder and its connections with the power, is compact and efficient. The machine is made principally of iron and steel, and is of particularly solid 1 and unified structure; Its operation I is marked by highly dependable qualities; and its automatic features result in improved work accomplished in a convenient manner; The machine itself is easily andsimply made, and is economical in manufacture.

I claim: f

1. In a cotton packer, the combination of a reciprocating plunger, a shifter plate carried by said plunger, an intermittent feeder, saidfeeder being adapted to function under the'influence of the movement of said plunger, common means for operating said plunger, said feeder, and belt shifting means for rendering said belt shifting means inoperative, said means being adapted to take effect instantly upon. actuation regardless of the location of the plunger or to take effect automatically through the shifter plate when plunger is the highest point of its upward stroke.

2. In a cotton packer, a frame, a reciproeating plunger, driving means for said plunger comprising a drive shaft mounted on said frame, a radius arm, a rack, a shaft mounted in said arm and adapted to oscillate in an are on one end of the frame, a pinion fixed on said last named shaft and adapted to coact with said rack, worm gear fixed on the, other end of said shaft and adapted to coact with a worm fixed on the drive shaft, said drive shaft being mounted on said frame and adapted to receive power through a pulley mounted on either of its extremities.

3. A cotton packer comprising a frame, a press-box, a plunger mounted to reciprocate in the frame and cooperating with the press-box, the plunger comprising a doublesided, free-ended rack, a radius arm mounted at its upper end to oscillate in an are on the frame, a pinion carried by the lower end of the radius arm and cooperating with the rack, and means for rotating the pinion by a worm gear, and means for keeping said pinion in continuous operative relation with said rack.

4. A cotton packer, a frame, a press-box, a reciprocating plunger, means for operating said plunger, said means including an oscillatory radius arm and a pinion carried thereby, means for rendering the operative means inoperative, including a belt shifting assembly said operative means when in inoperative position co-operating with the frame to form a lock which holds the plunger in any desired position relative to the press-box.

A cotton packer comprisinga. frame, a press-box, a reciprocating. plunger, means for operating said plunger, and means for rendering said operative means in0pera tive, said last-named means comprising a belt shifting assembly, said means being adapted to take effect instantly upon manual actuation of the belt shifting assembly regardless of position of plunger or to take effect only when the plunger is at its high est point of travel relative to'the press-box.

6. A cotton packer comprising a reciprocating plunger, means for operating said plunger, means comprising a belt shifting assembly for rendering said means inoperative, at any position of said plunger relative to the press-box manually, or of rendering said operating means inoperative automatically by a stop on plunger at end, of upstroke of said plunger, said plunger being automatically locked in position by worm gearing.

7. A cotton packer comprising a frame, a press-box reciprocating plunger (co-open ating with the press-box, a hopper dis charging in advance of the plunger, a rotary feeder mounted in said hopper, a single fixed pulley carried by the feeder mechanism, said pulley receiving its power by coacting with a friction. pulley, a belt from main drive shaft coacting with said. friction. pulley shaft, and means for intermittently maintaining the feeder pulley in engagement with said rotary friction pulley,

8. A cotton packer comprising a frame, a reciprocating plunger in said frame, a hopper discharging in advance of the plunger, a rotary feeder within the hopper, the rotary feeder being rendered inoperative by a cam moving out of contact with roller allowing levers to drop the feeder pulley from contact with the friction pulley.

9. A cotton packer comprising a frame, a plunger, a hopper discharging in advance of the plunger, a feeding member within the hopper, a loose shaft carrying the feed ing member, a fixed pulley mounted on said shaft, for intermittent contact with a friction pulley operatively connected with a source of power, said contact being induced by levers actuated by a cam mounted on said plunger.

10. A cotton packer comprising a frame, a reciprocating plunger cooperating with said frame, an intermittent feeder coopcrating with said plunger, a source of power, operative means including worm gearing connecting said plunger with said source of power, and operative means ineluding an intermittently operating friction pulley connecting said feeder with said source of power.

11. A. cotton packer con'iprising a frame a reciprocating plunger, a hopper discharging in advance of the plunger, and a feeder comprising two blades disposed in fixed rclation one on each side of a rotary shaft in a common plane to rotate therewith,

12. In a cotton packer, in combination. a feed hopper, a loose, vertically movable, rotary shaft mounted lengthwise in said hopper, said shaft carrying propellers fixed thereto in a. plane said propellers adapted to rotate with said shaft.-

13. A cotton packer, comprising a frame, a reciprocating plunger in said frame, a hopper discharging in advance of the plunger, a rotary feeder within the hopper, the rotary feeder being rendered inopera tive by acam moving out of contact with the roller allowing levers to drop the feeder pulley from contact with the friction pulley. into a brake and stop the movement of feeder immediately.

from contact With the friction pulley, and 10 a brake block onto which said fixed feeder pulley drops, whereby to immediately stop said feeder.

' ERNST A. H. JACOB. Witnesses:

W. C. RARIG, E. W. RIEBE. 

